Question

1.Based on what you read, did the Quaid’s have cause to bring legal action against the hospital? What did they do instead, and do you agree with their approach?

2.As this case unfolded what role do you think the hospital’s risk management and quality improvement departments may have played?

3. Thinking of the tools used to support risk management such as incident reports and health records, would an incident report been completed in this situation and how would the twins’ health records been handled?

4. What are some ethical implications raised by this case?

Answer 1

1. The Quaid's has told that their newborn twins were given a dose which is 1000 times more than the prescribed dosage of heparin. Eventhough the error happened in the hospital , the first thing which lead to error is the similar label of the different dosage forms in heparin . They also sought legal action on the medical center and heparin maker .

Normally the legal action should be taken on the hospital because if there are issues before regarding heparin why they didnot formulate some goals or techniques before dispersing heparin to patients. Why they didnot take much care on patient safety. Their quality of care is questioned here.

2. There is breach in the quality and hospital risk management as they did not obey the confidentiality of patients and families.

3. Incident report should be completed in this situation , to find out the causes for the risk situation and also to prevent these types of risks in future by formulating certain rules for safety of patients and to deliver quality care.

4. Negligence and breach of confidentiality.